


Fleeing From A Crushing Defeat

by PunnyMcGee



Series: We Walk A Lonely Road [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gladio is angry when he's scared, Hurt/Comfort, I really should have given Ignis more screentime but I suck at writing lol, M/M, Noct gets fucked up by daemons but he ends up fine, Promptis if you squint, promptio if you use a microscope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-15 22:03:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11815086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyMcGee/pseuds/PunnyMcGee
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple daemon-slaying hunt, but they got a little more than they signed up for.





	Fleeing From A Crushing Defeat

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the sole fact I wanted to hurt Noctis because I felt like it. Also the prompt for this has been sitting in my notebook for a solid few days and I really needed to write it out.

Daemon-hunting was probably his least favorite job, and that was mainly because it cut into his sleeping schedule. Still, it paid well to cut down foes normal Hunters wouldn't dare leave town to slay, even if it did mean pulling an all-nighter. They had already been at it for a few hours, and were nearing their assigned quota, but things were seldom easy for them and the Six only knew this was no exception.

Just as they were finishing up the last group of Imps, Noctis heard a rumbling that seemed out of place. It shook the ground where they stood, making Gladiolus stumble in his landing as he delivered a finishing blow.

“Woah!” Prompto chirped, waving his arms to try and keep his balance, guns still in his hands. “Uh, please tell me that's not some, like, boss-level monster or something!”

“This isn't King's Knight, Prompto,” Gladiolus replied gruffly, even as he readjusted his greatsword in his hands to attack again should he need to.

“Indeed. This doesn't feel like your run-of-the-mill daemon,” Ignis added, circling himself to scan the area. “We must be ready for-" He was cut off as a disturbingly familiar gurgling noise erupted to their left, just behind Noctis, who whipped around to see a giant, red-skinned hand reach right out of the ground.

There was no time to react, not even for Noctis to phase out of the way. He felt huge, meaty fingers close over his body, pinning his arms to his sides and crushing the air from his lungs. He tried to call out, but only a strangled gasp escaped his mouth, and even that was cut off as the daemon fully climbed out of the inky hell-portal and tightened its grip on his body until he was sure he would pop.

Something wet trailed down his cheeks and his jaw, dribbled over his lips that stretched in a silent scream, and the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth. He could hear his own bones crunching together under the pressure. Someone was screaming his name, but he couldn't see who through the entire galaxy of light spots that filled his vision.

And just like that, it was over. The pressure was completely released, huge fingers uncoiled from around him, and - strangely enough - a pleasant breeze swept over his limp body. Then he hit something hard and solid with enough force to finally release the scream he'd had forcibly choked back, before darkness took him like the heavy heave of an ocean wave.

~*~

When Prompto saw the blood start leaking out of every orifice Noctis had, his entire body froze. When he saw his best friend flung to the side like an empty sack of potatoes and slam into a rock wall with a crushing blow, he swore his heart stopped beating. And when the absolutely monstrous Red Giant turned its attention on him, Prompto could only send a silent prayer to the Six for a cleaner end.

He watched in almost slow-motion as the daemon raised its sword to slash down at him. He couldn't move, every limb shaking in horror of what he’d just witnessed, and what was no doubt going to be a similar end for himself. But when the flaming blade came down, it crashed into the ground, victimless. A heavy weight barreled into Prompto’s side, sending him and his savior rolling into the mud, where the blond lay dazed.

“Prompto!” Gladiolus’s face appeared over him, teeth bared and voice loud, tinged with panic. “Wake up!” A jolt went through his body as the larger man picked him up and put him on his shaking legs. “Do you _want_ to die?”

“Gladio! Assistance!” Ignis called from where he was throwing his daggers at the beast to grab its attention from them.

“Go check on Noct,” Gladiolus hissed, partially shoving him towards where the other lay slumped against the ground, unmoving. He quickly gave Prompto a phoenix down and shoved him again, “Go! Get him out of here! We’ll meet you at the car.”

He didn't know if it was the sickening worry in the dark-haired man's eyes that had Prompto snapping out of his stupor, or his best friend's name. Either way, he swallowed thickly and nodded once, stumbling over to where Noctis still lay, crumpled and bleeding.

Noctis was so still that at first, Prompto couldn't even tell if he was breathing until he leaned down and put an ear to his chest. A distant thud hit his ear, heavy and slow - too slow - but it was there. He quickly scanned his eyes over Noctis’s body, fingers trailing as he went. He knew how to check for breaks and fractures; Ignis had taught him that much. He checked everything, just to be sure, but nothing seemed broken. He took a quiet breath before sliding the iridescent feather into the pale males hand, watching as it burst into a shower of embers that wrapped Noctis’ body in a veil of green.

He waited a moment or two.

...Or three.

Then the other stuttered to gasp a deeper breath, body twitching as his brain struggled to regain consciousness.

“Noct?” Prompto said too quickly, leaning over the others still-bloody face. He gave the ravenet’s cheek a few paps, voice shaky with a strained laugh, “C’mon buddy, wake up for me, yeah?” His only response was a soft groan before Noctis was slowly cracking open his eyes.

Dark pools of blue that seemed pitch black in the darkness squinted up at him, “Prom?”

“Yeah man, it’s me.” The sounds of battle behind him brought him back to the present moment, and he quickly brushed his still-trembling fingertips through Noctis’s bangs. “Do you think you can stand? We have to get out of here while the others are distracting the daemon.”

Noctis was still very disoriented, but he nodded, and Prompto helped him back on his feet. He let Noctis lean on him, shuffling into the trees where they’d be too dense for the daemon to follow them.

“What about Specs an' Glad?” Noctis half-slurred from where he was pressed against Prompto’s side.

The other pulled in the corner of his lips a bit, before pinching them up in a smile, “They’ll be fine! They were just distracting it so we could get away. They’ll be behind us in a bit, you’ll see.” Noctis mumbled something Prompto couldn’t catch but he let it go, and they made their way slowly through the trees.

Prompto prayed to every deity he could think of to keep the daemons away until they got to the car. It still sat on the edge of the road, pulled a bit onto the grass next to the forest line to keep it out of traffic. The blond nearly sighed in relief when he saw it, and he tried to hurry his friend along as best he could.

He shifted until he could awkwardly slip his fingers around the handle enough to open it, practically hoisting Noctis’s entire body weight around so he could open it fully and slide him carefully inside.

“There, we’ll wait here for Gladio and Iggy, alright?” Prompto said, smoothing over Noctis’s hair again. He watched a shiver roll over the other male, Noctis’s features scrunching up in displeasure before he managed to grab onto the hem of Prompto’s vest.

“‘M cold,” he mumbled, eyes drooping tiredly.

The blond’s eyes widened and he dropped his hand to take Noctis’s in his own, “Here, uh, sharing body heat should help. Scooch over.”

Prompto helped Noctis move into the middle of the seat as he slid in and closed the door behind with a soft thud. He gathered Noctis to him, wrapping his arms around the other, not caring if the blood from his face got smeared into his vest. Clothes could always be washed and replaced, but there was only one Noctis and he needed this right now. The ravenet shivered against him, curling towards the source of heat as he snaked his arms around Prompto’s torso.

The younger boy lost track of time, sitting there humming something soft he heard on the radio every so often, fingers leaving visible waves in Noctis’ messy hair as he tried to comb out the mud and grass. It wasn’t until he saw a pair of small lights heading towards them, flickering as their owners ran, did he finally release a sigh of relief.

Gladiolus was the first into the car, opening his side door and leaning down to peek in. He was sweaty and covered in dirt, his face pinched tightly in worry as the chill of the night air exposed the rapid puffs escaping his lips, but he was unharmed, praise the Six. His eyes gave Prompto and Noctis a once-over, which seemed to be enough to marginally relax his scrunched brow.

“How’s he doing?” Was the breathless question as he struggled to regain his breathing. Prompto looked down at Noctis, whose eyes were closed and breathing gentle, but he could feel the steady heartbeat under his fingertips where they lay curled around his neck.

“He’s okay. The ‘down worked just fine and he’s okay.” Prompto marginally cradled him closer to his body, blinking a few times as he did. “Just tired.”

Something in Gladiolus’s eyes softened, but just then Ignis came up behind him, “Are they there?”

The larger man straightened up, turning to the sandy-haired male as he did, “Yeah, they’re good, but we should still get out of here while we can. Noct’s out cold and Prom’s starting to crash.”

“‘M right here,” the blond mumbled into Noctis’s hair, but neither of the others seemed to have heard him.

“Alright, there was a small rest stop with a camper a few miles down the road, if I recall.” Ignis moved over to the driver side door, popping it open, “Shouldn’t be more than ten minutes.”

Gladiolus nodded, leaning back down to peer at Prompto with a much more relaxed expression than before, “Hear that? We’ll be back and safe in a camper before you know it. Why don’t you put Noct in the other seat so we can strap him in?”

Prompto shook his head at that, his arms tightening just so, “I can’t. He said he was cold and he’s still shivering.” Gladiolus furrowed his brow again, looking to Noctis who was, in fact, trembling where he lay coiled against Prompto’s side.

“Alright then, I’ll just sit back here with you and make sure you both don’t move around too much.” He slid in without hesitation, scooching over just so his side was against Noctis’s back, one arm slung over the back of the seat. Ignis was already fastened in the driver's seat, turning the car on with the same familiar, gentle purr she always started with.

A minute down the road, there was a soft pat on his head, and Prompto looked up to see Gladiolus looking at him with a mix of worry and relief, “You did good, Prom. Sorry for being so rough with you before.”

Prompto shook his head gently, “S’okay, it was a bad situation. I froze and you saved me, so it’s fine if I have a few bruises from your crazy manhandling.”

Gladiolus laughed softly at that, “I’ll make up for it later, promise. But right now, you should rest until we get to the camper. Don’t think I didn’t see Noct save you a couple times because you ran out of potions during the fight.” Prompto looked away a bit guiltily at that, but the other didn’t wait for a reply, merely putting soft strokes over the blond’s head.

With the car rumbling around him, and Gladiolus’s hand petting his head, Prompto found his eyes closing and nuzzled against Noctis’s hair before sleep pulled him under.


End file.
